Flower

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Thursday, June 29, 2017

Letters to Heaven: Marriage and Cuban Coffee

"Our marriage is like that nice cup of Cuban coffee every morning. It becomes more delicious over time."

June 29, 2009

Dear Jesus:

25 years!!! We made it!!! We were supposed to be in Turks and Caicos celebrating, instead, we are here in Miami. It is what it is... but we made the best of it.


Rafe surprised me with a booklet that he prepared with different pictures from our life together, starting all the way back with our "Flavia" cruise in 1981. He wrote beautiful things. I love my hubby.

We took the day off from work and we spent the day together. We first went to have breakfast at Islas Canarias, like in the good old days. We then drove to Boca Raton, walked around Mizner Park, then drove down the coastline and parked at Ft. Lauderdale Beach. We drank ice cream shakes, and then went to the movies to watch "The Proposal." It was a super funny romantic comedy. We had a good laugh, just what we needed. 
At night, we went to dinner at Oceanair. While we were getting ready, we lost power, so we had to take showers by candle light. It would have been very romantic, except for the small detail that the house was full of kids.

Thank You, Jesus, for these 25 years of marriage. We would not have made it if You had not been at the center. And thank You for the gift of each one of our three children.

I love You, Jesus!!!


July 11, 2009

Dear Jesus:

Today we renewed our vows in a small, intimate mass at the Villa Javier chapel. It was very special. We didn't invite a lot of people because with Rafi's health so unstable, we didn't want to plan something big and then have to cancel it. Only our kids and some of our closest family members were present.


Father Willie made it very personal. I pray for him, Jesus, for his vocation. Please guide him and protect him because he is a very special priest with a very big heart. We had the extra blessing of also having Father Tino present. He's another special priest who is approaching the end of his journey here on earth. Please, Jesus, give him health and carry him as he approaches the day that he will be in your presence.

After 25 years of marriage and all the mountains we have climbed, we are ready to continue our journey. Renewing our vows was a way to remember the promises we made to each other so long ago, and to make the commitment to continue keeping those promises to each other. It's not that the ones we made 25 years ago when we received the Sacrament of Matrimony have expired, but it was good to renew them and to celebrate our marriage. It was a way to reaffirm our commitment to each other, and to tell each other that if we had to get married all over again, we would do it in a heartbeat. And I made one extra promise this time around. I promised to make him Cuban coffee every morning. What have I gotten myself into?


I love You, Jesus!!!


June 29, 2017

Dear Jesus:

33 years!!! Woo-hoo!!!

Has it been easy? No. Have we had some rough moments? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. I would marry him again in a heartbeat.

And I'm happy to say that I kept my vow, at least until this past Christmas. I made him Cuban coffee every morning, and with "espumita." Now we are the proud owners of a Nespresso machine which my mom gave us for Christmas. Making coffee, like our marriage, has become simpler.

I was not a coffee drinker when I married my hubby 33 years ago. He told me: "I will get you hooked." Well, he was right. But it took a lot longer than he thought. I've gotten hooked on coffee in this last year, especifically, on a cup of "cortadito" with evaporated milk, accompanied by a madeleine or a biscotti. And the roles have shifted. Now he is the one that prepares me my "cortadito" every morning. That is what I believe makes a good marriage. It's not the grand occasional gestures, it's the daily tiny acts of thoughtfulness. For over 30 years, I made Cuban coffee for my hubby, even though I was not a coffee drinker, but I simply knew that a good day for my hubby had to start with Cuban coffee. And now that my tastebuds have discovered this truly delicious drink, he is doing the same for me.

Our marriage is like that nice cup of Cuban coffee every morning. It becomes more delicious over time.

I love You, Jesus!!!

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